TWO years after it was suspended due to “budgetary pressures” the public ferry service from Trory to Devenish Island will resume this Saturday (July 1), it has been confirmed.
The service is being provided by Erne Water Taxi following its “successful tender in an open competition” according to a spokeswoman for the Department for Communities.
The proprietor of Erne Water Taxi, Barry Flanagan, said he was “delighted” to be able to resume the service to one of the most iconic sights in Fermanagh stating that he hoped it would give visitors “the opportunity to see what a fascinating and special place the island is.”
“The Department for Communities have put a lot of work into the maintenance and upkeep of the island over the past few months and it really shows. Devenish Island is looking better now than it has done for years. 
“Anything that encourages visitors to interact with the Erne is a big advantage as it is the Lough and its islands that makes our county unique,” Mr. Flanagan told The Impartial Reporter.
The monastic site, located in Lower Lough Erne, is one of the most important Christian Heritage sites in Ireland, and one of the best preserved in north west Europe. There was uproar when the public ferry service was halted in August 2015. Ulster Unionist Councillor Howard Thornton has repeatedly criticised the “broken promises”of the Department for Communities. At a recent meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council he told the Chamber that it was his understanding that the continuity of the service would be resolved by November 2016 and then January 2017.  Finally the Department for Communities confirmed this week that the resumed service will run from July 1 to November 5, 2017.  The opening times are as follows: July and August (10am to 6pm, seven days a week), September (11am to 4pm, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and October to November (11am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday).